Photomechanical multicolor-printing.



M.' N.'WEY L. PHOTOMEGHANIGAL'MU-LTIOOLOR PRINTING.

APPLICATION FILED 133021 1902.

WITNESSES IIIVENTOI? ,4 TTORNE).

PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

MAURICE N, WEYL, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNsrLvANiA. f V

PHOTOMECHANICAL MULTICOLOR-PRINTING-W f" Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented ll'a ni 2,1906.

Application filed December 17, 1902. $erial No. 135,504-

f ttllwhom it may concern/.

Be it known that I, MAURICE N. WEYL, a

' citizen of the United States, residing in the Printing, of which the following is a full, clear,

city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Photomechanical Multicolorand exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

I My invention relates to multicolor-printing from photomechanically-prepared plates; and it consists of the process hereinafter described, having for its object or purpose to obtain from such prepared printingplates multicolored impressions which shall be free e from the objectionable moire and cross-lined effects produced by photomechanically prepared and superposed half-tone plates as commonly employed not only in black and tint (two-color) work, but in multicolor-work.

In the accompanying drawing is shown a section of one of a variety of irregular grain orstipple's'creens such as I use in my process 7 and which shown in said drawing enlarged seven times the size of the orlglnal as I use it to bring out more clearly the irregular character of the pattern on the screen, such as is adapted to be used in the application of my process.

In multicolor-printing from half-tone plates or from transfers on stone from the preparednegatives .as commonly practiced the first negative for each color has been prepared by means of an interposed color-filter. For example, to produce a three-color-process plate three similar negatives are made by means,

respectively, of interposed light-filtersnamely, purple, (to exclude all but yellow rays,) green, (to exclude all but the red rays,) and reddish-orange, (which excludes all but the blue rays, to affect the sensitized plates and from positives of these several negatives other negatives are made by means of interposed ruled or lined screens having two sets or series of lines, those of each set being-parallel and the two sets of lines crossing each other-at right angles, forming a net; but the screen is shifted in position for each plate, so that the ruled lines reproduced on the negative for the first plateare, say, at fifteen degrees and one hundred and five degrees to 'the horizontal; for the second plate, seventy-five degrees and one hundred and sixty five derees to the horizontal, and for the tlurd plate orty-five degrees and one hundred and thirtyfive degrees to the horizontal. j, From these or transfers on stone are made, and from these latter printed lmpressions upon paper or other primary colors mentioned and resultingin-givmg correct reproductlons of the original object or picture. For sake of economy, but with positive plate may be omitted, and the first and third steps described may be consolidated by making the final negative throughsimultaneously-interposed light filters and screens.

screens form dots at the intersections on the negatives, causing a blurringeffect (due to a regular series of dots produced by tho hexagonal network of lines) in the resultantlfinished impressions, and unless such cross-lined angle for each cOIOr negative a; result is, produced technically knownas' ;a f moire" effect. Efforts have been madevfrom time to time; to

lined screen, which is shifted to adiiferent position for each negative in thelset, of a setfof screens eachcontaining a single series'of parallel lines, but. the lineson each screenrunning on each of the other two or more screens used,

liam Kurtz, No. 489,396, dated May 30,1893.

tion of screens andthatjtheavoidance ofgthe which results from all lined? screens fof any character, can be accomplished by the iise of a single screen constructed in the manner and used according to the method constituting my invention, which consists in varying the firstabove-described and usual half-tone process, only in that in producing the final colornegatives for transfer to stone or copper I dis card the net-lined orcrossed screen shifted in and substitute therefor a single screen on which has been deposited or etched an irregular pattern, technically known as a grain or stipple pattern, and with such a screen I can maintain it in the same position for each negative and Without shifting it, as before required in the case of cross-lined screens,

but aside from that I avoid entirely the blurnegatives the usual'half-tone printing-plates overcome this objectionable moire ,efi'eejt, among others the usein a single net ofciross- I have discovered,however, that this'latter plan is a, needless andexpensive"multiplicasubstance are made, superimposed one upon 1, the other in proper'register, using the three less desirable results, the making ofthe second The crossing of the lines on; the ruled screens are turned or. shifted to a different in a different direction-or angle from the lines as set forth in the United StatesPate-nt-to Wilmoire effect and alsiifjthe blurringfefi'ect,

the production of each negative for each color ring eflect causedby'all lined screens. whether of net or cross-lines (asin the process first above described) or of single series of parallel lines, (as in the modified process last 5 above described.)

By irregular, grain, or stipple I mean a attern formed by anirregularly-dis tribute number of dots, whether of the same or varying sizes and shapes, so disposed that the visual effect of the whole surface is one of an even regular tint.

In carrying out my improved process, practically, there is first prepared for,say, a threecolor print, three positives of theobject or icture, in yellow, red, and blue, respectively,

om three negatives obtained through light or color filters, as before described, and from these positives I produce my negatives to be transferred to the rint-ing-plate by theinterposition of a sing e screen etched or otherwise prepared with an irregular, grain, or stipple pattern, and without shifting it during the production of each of the three negatives.

the use of such a screen the usual shifting is not required, because whether shifted or held fixedly its pattern is such as to give like results 'under either condition." I have also discovered that the objectionable netor crosslined screen so shifted and also the use of three screens each containinga series of parallel lines,-bu-t the lines of each ofv which run in different angles" or directions, cannot produce the non-lined rcult at all nor avoid the moire e'flect to so great a degree as the use of-a single screen, not lining it with net or cross-lines, not shifting it for each negative, nor (what is'the same thing in .fiect) using the three single-lined screens, one for each negative of a three-color print; but in lieu of each of these methods, using astipple screen which has no regular s'uccession of lines-or figures, and hence which need not be shifted in the same position for each of the three negatives. The result is a complete avoidance of any line blur and of moire. It enables the use of the whole surface of the screen, and as it produces no regular succession of lines and dots on the In other words, I havediscovered that with I picture a far gieateraniount of contrast is brought about, and the picture is consequently stronger and clearer.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' 1. An improved process of photomechanical multicolor printing, which consists in first preparing the required set of primary color-positives of the object or picture sought to be reproduced, and then preparing therefrom thencgatives which are transferred to stone or copper, by int erposing in the production of each negative in the set for a multicolor impression a single screen prepared with an irregular, grain or stipple pattern and which is thereby adapted to be so used without shifting its position during each of the several exposures; substantially as described.

2. An improved process of photomechanical multicolor-printing, which consists in reparing primary color-negatives for trans er to copper or stone, by simultaneouslyzinterposing in the production thereof the requisite color-filter for each negative in'the set and a single screen 'etched or otherwise p're pared with an irregular, grain or stipple-pattern and which may be maintained in one position and without shifting during the exposure; substantially as described.

3. An improved process of producing )hotomechanical multicolor-prints, without line effects, which consists in preparing the copper or stone printing-surfaces froma set of negative films in the production of each of which the requisite color-filter and a screen of irregular, grain or stipple pattern has been interposed; and then producing the finished picture by superposing impressions from said plates or stones, one over the other, in proper register; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aifixed my signature this 12th day of Decembar, A. -D. 1902.

' MAURICE N. W'EYL. Witnesses:

GEO. W. REED, A. M. BInnLE. 

